Book Spotlight with Melody DeBlois: THAT APRIL IN SANTA MONICA

Fellow Wild Rose Press author Melody DeBlois stops by today with a look at THAT APRIL IN SANTA MONICA, including an additional excerpt about Madison's slightly unhealthy relationship with clothes. Welcome Melody!

Blurb:

Madison receives acclaim for running a talent agency for people with disabilities, but she doesn't know how to take care of herself. When her altruism becomes life-threatening-a matter of either develop healthy habits or die-she joins a reality TV show that pairs her with hot, raven-haired Brandon. He is witty, sexy, and her teacher. That makes him off limits.

After a successful run on a soap opera, Brandon stepped away from empty fame and now focuses on his work as TV's most noted health teacher. He has one fast rule-never fall for a student. But when he meets Madison, their chemistry is combustible. There's no hiding their conflict or their attraction, especially when it's all caught on film.

Clothes Make the Character:

When Brandon and Madison are cleaning out her closet, frustrated, she asks, “Is there not some clothes-horse support group I could join? That pretty well sums up her addiction. Here is a short scene in which Brandon rewards her for clearing out the stuff she doesn’t need by taking her to Bloomingdales to pick out new yoga outfits.

The hangers click-clacked, rubbing together on a rail, as Madison Gray chose a cashmere pencil skirt, an off-the-shoulder romper, and a keyhole printed dress. She spied Brandon flagging her down. Being in the store she could never afford on her own, she’d forgotten his existence. 

 “Hey,” he said, puffing up next to her and shepherding in the cameras. “Don’t you remember your motto, ‘Only splurge if you can’t live without it?’ ” 

That catchphrase, coming from the king of catchphrases, had slipped her mind. Shopping without interference—a tribe of salesgirls on hand to supply her with all the latest fashion trends—meant a turf this side of paradise. 

 Brandon tapped the clerk who had been trailing behind on her shoulder. “What can you show Ms. Gray in the way of yoga wear?” 

The girl took off. “We just got a new shipment. Wait till you see.” 

Who cared about yoga? Madison whooped at gowns too gorgeous for words, chiffon, georgette, silk charmeuse—Givenchy galore. She was browsing through them, fingering the ruffles and tucks, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. 

Brandon wrinkled his handsome brow. “Did you forget why we’re here?”

Well, of course, she hadn’t. “No, how could I with the guru and his camera yahoos?” 

She’d be darn if he would make her feel guilty. After all, didn’t she deserve a reward for fulfilling all his demands for reform? The salesgirl awaited them with hands clasped at her waist. “Right around the bend,” she prompted with a slight turn in the opposite direction. 

Madison tried not to sound like a woman who had been locked away and denied shopping. “I’m right behind you.”

And another Excerpt:

“Don’t you feel the sun’s energy balancing and healing you?”

What Madison felt was Brandon’s body heat radiating through her, tightening her muscles, skimming up her spine. That kind of warmth should come with a warning— exposure might cause side effects. Maybe she could have blamed it on chemistry or like attracting like— called it a lethal injection. She was dying for want of him.

She managed to say, “I see a halo around the sun.”

“Feel it vibrate?” he asked, turning to look at her.

Somehow, she didn’t think watching the sky had anything to do with it. The heat had gathered at the sweet place between her legs— another side effect of her being close to him. If this didn’t end up in a kiss, she didn’t think she’d be able to bear it.

Drawing in a long shaky breath, she said, “I do feel the vibration.” Oh, did she!

“Being out in the middle of nature, with the birds and the sea creatures, it does something to a person, don’t you think?”

“Amen to Mother Earth,” she said dreamily.

“There’s harmony in the sounds.” His breath seemed to have caught in his throat.

“Yes, a more beautiful melody could not exist.”

“Do you feel your eyes blur? It’s the sun cleansing you.”

Cleansing? Try heating up as if some crazy so-and-so had switched on the gas.

She moaned, “My eyes have become pools of marvel.” No, that wasn’t right. They were pools of longing, no mistaking.

Buy Links: 

Kobo  ~   Amazon  ~  Barnes and Noble

Author Bio:

Born in California, award winning author, Melody DeBlois follows the sun. When she isn’t swimming laps, she’s writing sweet and sassy romances. Her heroines are self-reliant and smart and her heroes are kind by nature and love dogs. She lives in California during the summer and spends winters in Arizona with her husband. She has plotted her novels while hiking the beach or trekking across the desert. Her most treasured possession is family.

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